Neuron specific enolase promotes tumor metastasis by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in small cell lung cancer

Zhiqiang Zha; Dailing Li; Peiling Zhang; Peipei Wang; Xisheng Fang; Xia Liu; Chengyin Weng; Baoxiu Li; Yong Wu; Haibo Mao; Lina Wang; Lin Xu; Jiaming Dong; Mingmei Guan; Lin Lu; Guolong Liu

Translational Oncology (Apr 2021)

Neuron specific enolase promotes tumor metastasis by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in small cell lung cancer

Zhiqiang Zha,
Dailing Li,
Peiling Zhang,
Peipei Wang,
Xisheng Fang,
Xia Liu,
Chengyin Weng,
Baoxiu Li,
Yong Wu,
Haibo Mao,
Lina Wang,
Lin Xu,
Jiaming Dong,
Mingmei Guan,
Lin Lu,
Guolong Liu

Affiliations

Zhiqiang Zha: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China
Dailing Li: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China
Peiling Zhang: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China
Peipei Wang: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
Xisheng Fang: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
Xia Liu: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
Chengyin Weng: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
Baoxiu Li: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
Yong Wu: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
Haibo Mao: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
Lina Wang: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
Lin Xu: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
Jiaming Dong: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
Mingmei Guan: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China
Lin Lu: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China; Corresponding author at: Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China.
Guolong Liu: Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, Guangdong, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China; Corresponding author at: Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 14, no. 4
p. 101039

Abstract

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Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) has been used as a specific biomarker for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. Nevertheless, the biological function and mechanism of NSE in SCLC are still unclear. In this study, we clarified the role of NSE in the progression of SCLC and found that NSE expression was positively correlated with distant metastasis. Functional analysis showed that overexpression of NSE promoted migration and invasion of SCLC cells. Mechanism analysis showed that NSE overexpression induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of SCLC cells. Moreover, overexpression of NSE increased the protein expression of β-catenin and its downstream target genes, and silencing β-catenin eliminated NSE-mediated cell migration, invasion and EMT process. Furthermore, NSE interacted with β-catenin and inhibited the degradation of β-catenin. Besides, the animal experiments also indicated that NSE could promote the EMT process and distant metastasis of SCLC cells in vivo. In summary, our results revealed that NSE could promote the EMT process of SCLC cells by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby promoting cell migration, invasion and distant metastasis, which might serve as a potential target for the therapy of SCLC patients.

Published in Translational Oncology

ISSN: 1944-7124 (Print); 1936-5233 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/translational-oncology/

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